In our view, a strategy approach to marketing is about being systematic: it is about designing your campaigns and selecting your channels based on the needs and habits of your target group.
In this series of articles, we look at the strategic marketing from different angles: explore the core concept, what it can include, and why it is a sound business decision.
At Avalon, we have been involved in marketing for over 30 years and in that time the world of marketing has changed dramatically. And no wonder, because it's not just about the rise of technology and digitalisation, but also about huge political and social changes and the globalisation of culture, values and commerce.
We have always been on the cutting edge of change, and digital solutions in particular have always been a strong part of our business. We started by building websites and digital portals. Since then, we have been our client's trusted partner in the digital marketing revolution, learning the ins and outs of social media and marketing automation. Today, we help our clients exploit the new opportunities brought by data and artificial intelligence.
What hasn't changed in the world and in marketing is the importance of careful groundwork and thorough planning.
The hallmarks of strategic marketing are planning, goal-orientation and targeted communications based on customer needs. This requires insights into our clients' business and its objectives, as well as their target customer groups and their needs. In practice, this means committing to a long-term, strategic marketing partnership.
Strategic marketing differs from traditional marketing in terms of timeframe, objectives, approach and target audience understanding, among other things. Whereas strategic marketing is a holistic, analytical and long-term approach, traditional marketing tends to focus on individual measures, such as increasing sales in the short term or the success of a single campaign.
Traditional marketing is characterised by targeting the widest possible audience with very generic messages without any specific targeting. Results are often measured only in terms of visibility or campaign reach, with no real focus on creating a cycle of continuous learning and improvement.
When launching a new strategic marketing partnership, we typically start by learning about our client's business, offering, products, industry and competitive landscape. We review the business objectives and, if necessary, help our client define marketing objectives based on the business goals.
Only when these objectives are clear do we begin to develop a longer-term marketing strategy, identifying the most relevant target groups, the most appropriate channels to reach them and the range of marketing measures to be used.
Once the baselines are clear, it is time to discuss the resources and budget available for marketing. This will allow us to think about a more detailed content and annual plan. Once these are finalised, it is time to move on to content production.
Just as important as a thorough familiarisation is the monitoring of results and the continuous optimisation of measures. If it seems that a campaign is not going to achieve the intended results, the messages may need to be changed, the channel mix expanded or the budget increased. By reviewing and comparing the results, we gain important information that helps inform the next campaign plans. The effectiveness and efficiency of our cooperation and the selected approach will also be evaluated.
In the next article, we will take a closer look at the strategic marketing toolbox and, thereafter, the concrete benefits of this approach.
If you can't wait, contact us now!